Richard is no stranger to theatre—both on and off-stage. Having been cast in ensemble and leading roles for many years, he started directing shows within the community and has done so very non-traditionally considering, in today’s society, most theatre has a stigma attached as to what “they” think an audience NEEDS to see. In most cases, roles provided to actors come with a pre-attached definition of size, age, weight, color, gender, and/or sex…And Richard does not believe in stereotyping or discriminating. He believes if you have the talent and are willing to put yourself out there, then there is a place for you onstage…Isn’t that what theatre is all about?

Having seen so much wasted talent in the community and the same people getting the same leading roles over and over again, Richard decided to make his lifelong dream of founding his own theatre company a reality…And that dream has been realized by creating INNOVAtheatre. INNOVA is here to blend together the “not so normal” to society’s idea of normal and give a chance to someone who may not usually be cast in a role. INNOVA was also created to perform the controversial shows never done on main stages because no one wants to take a chance due to the show’s issues, topics, or content. Ultimately, Richard’s hope is to bring awareness to the community of non-spoken issues, raw subject matter, and most of all: true talent.

Vice President: ​Christopher Koonce

Having been raised in a family of theatre patrons, and having been subjected growing up to Yul Brenner himself in "The King and I" as well as a host of other classic productions, I am excited to be a part of the INNOVAtheatre's board. I first took the stage myself in 2015 and immediately became the second man ever in theatre history to perform the entire first act of "Jekyll and Hyde" with a kielbasa taped to my inner thigh. (David Hasselhoff was the first, but it should be noted that he was doing it for laughs. I was doing it as a way to snack between scenes) Ever since that moment, you can't get me to stop performing. I even act like I'm excited about my job.​In all sincerity however, I have discovered that there is no place on earth quite like the stage and no one anywhere on earth to populate it like theatre people. I bring a passion for music and stage, an ever growing appreciation for creativity and talent, and an open mind unfettered by limited imagination to the board. I want INNOVAtheatre to bring exciting new twists and explore new horizons with both classic productions as well as newer lesser known ones. Thank you for starting this adventure with us. May it bring excitement at every turn.​​​

Secretary: ​​Jacqlyn Schott

​​Jacqlyn could not be more thrilled to be a part of Richard’s dream come true. With her degrees in English and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from Otterbein University, Jacqlyn brings her writing talents to serving INNOVAtheatre as Secretary while using her passion for diversity to help propel INNOVAtheatre into fulfilling the need for inclusive theatre.

When she’s not with INNOVA, Jacqlyn can be found working as a Fraud Investigator for a major retail cooperation, getting her nerd on playing Dungeons & Dragons, or living the life fantastic on many stages. More than anything, Jacqlyn believes in the transformative powers of the written word, art, and performance; and theatre is such an exquisite melding of them…For theatre challenges both performers and audience members alike to embrace new ways of seeing the world through artistic innovation and inspiring them to risk and reach new heights.

It is Jacqlyn’s sincere hope that one day, it will no longer be considered innovative in theatre to cast outside the norm, to challenge the expected…but until then and even after, we will have INNOVAtheatre to breathe new life into tales both old and new while including new voices in the narratives. Welcome to INNOVAtheatre!​​​

Treasurer ​Denise Schnieders

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​​​​Denise is a native Cincinnatian. Previous credits include: White Christmas, Blooming, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, The Will Rogers Follies, Jekyll & Hyde, Evita, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and Anything Goes. Denise has also been the Sound Technician for Children of Eden and Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Denise is looking forward to sharing her passion for the theatre with others.​​

Marketing

Stephanie Sams​

​​Stephanie has always been a fan of the arts. She found her love of acting at an early age, performing in many theatre productions. After studying theatre at Wright State University, with The Cincinnati Actors Studio and the impeccable Silvana Gallardo, Stephanie moved on to help other actors grow their craft as an acting coach. Since joining INNOVAtheatre she has had the pleasure of performing in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and is excited for all that is to come with this amazing theatre group!​